Predator-Prey Interactions in anurans of the Tropical Dry Forests of the Colombian Caribbean: A functional approach

BLANCO-TORRES, A.; DURÉ, M.; ARGENIS BONILLA, M.; CAGNOLO, L.

BIOTROPICA

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2019

0006-3606

Species traits may determinate prey selection through mismatches preventing pair-wise interactions or because particular traits are preferred upon others. The diet of anurans is affected by multiple traits that could be summarized in two contrasting foraging strategies: ?active? and ?sit-and-wait? foragers. We evaluated whether anurans could be classified in groups of species sharing traits associated to their diet, and what is the relation between particular functional traits of anurans and their prey. We collected anurans and identified their stomach contents once during each season in six dry forest sites in the Colombian Caribbean. For each of 19 anuran species and 436 prey items, we registered 10 and 6 functional traits, including morphological, physiological, reproduction and ecological aspects of the specie?s life-history. We applied the RLQ and Fourth-corner methodologies to relate species x traits matrix through the predator x prey interaction matrix. Predators were assigned to five groups according to their differences in locomotion, body shape, mode of tongue protrusion, habitat and strata preferred, seasonality, and reproductive pattern. Regarding preys, species were assigned to four groups according to their gregariousness, body shape and hardness, defensive traits, and mobility, while body size had a minor contribution. We found correlations between predator and prey traits suggesting that species depict different strategies to achieve optimal foraging: while species in one group actively search for low mobility preys (i.e., low manipulation cost), in other group species invest in waiting for highly nutritive prey items that are difficult to manipulate. By linking amphibian diet with foraging strategies, we hope to contribute to understand the mechanisms behind anuran-prey food web patterns and to build more realistic models of functional response to changing environments.